A Symbol for the AFA
by Stephen A. McNallen
from The Runestone Spring 1996 #14

Every organization which aspires to touch it’s followers’ hearts needs a symbol, a sign which proclaims it’s nature and provides a standard around which to rally.

In the old Asatru Free Assembly, that symbol war the RAIDO rune. We chose it because, first of all, it was used i the old days to designate our religion. It denoted harmony with the cosmic order, and a path to wholeness. Moreover, superimposed in it are the runes ANSUZ and WUNJO. ANSUZ represents the reception, transformation, and re-expression of spiritual might. Since our goal is to receive the power of the Gods into our lives and then manifest it in the world around us, this rune seems very appropriate. WUNJO means fellowship, and the bonds that tie together a clan and tribe; that’s pretty descriptive of both the old AFA and it’s new incarnation.

We could, I suppose, just use the RAIDO rune for the new AFA’s symbol. But would that really be right? We’re not exactly the same organization, and since we want a different ORLOG, or fate, than the old AFA, Maybe we need something different to represent us.

Here’s where we need your input. Here are some bind runes that have been proposed – essentially, combining the “ancestral heritage” of the OTHALAZ rune with all the aforementioned attributes of RAIDO. What do you think? Which of these is the best choice, and why? Or should we adopt something altogether different? What about color schemes? We’ll consider what you have to say, and announce a decision in the next issue of The Runestone!